Science
We hope you enjoy this different style of learning.
Please let us know your views on it.
If you encounter any difficulties do not hesitate to
contact your tutor.
A copy of this workshop is in the folder collection in the
Martial Rose library. Please ask at the enquiry desk for
the folder
Author: Institution of Chemical Engineers
Title:
Science Safety Workshop
Health and Safety Activities
for Key Stages 1 and 2
Training Workshop for Teachers
Objectives
The purpose of the workshop is to help you to:

increase your own knowledge and understanding of health and safety issues

understand the concepts of hazard, risk and risk assessment

be familiar with the requirements of health and safety within the National
Curriculum orders at Key Stages 1 and 2

understand and write a risk assessment and risk management strategy for
an electricity activity to be carried out in session 7

provide strategies for safety education within the context of the primary
curriculum
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Programme
Revise the legal requirements
for safety.
Read the Keeping Science Safe
section in your module handbook.
What do you know about risk?
Carry out the quiz on pages 4 & 5.
Check your answers on pages 6 &
7.
Background reading
Read the background explanations
& examples on pages 8 – 18
inclusive. These cover:
 hazard and risk
 a risk management strategy
 health and safety within the
National Curriculum
Activity:
Developing and writing a risk
management strategy
Carry out the activity given on
page 19.
References and useful
addresses
See handbook
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What do you think of these statements? Write down your answers.
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What do you know about Risk?
11. Safety education is a useful
addition to the primary school
curriculum if there is sufficient
time outside the National
Curriculum.
What do you know about Risk?
12. The word risk encompasses
the likelihood of an accident
happening and the extent of
the harm if the accident does
happen.
What do you know about Risk?
13. An activity involving a severe
hazard will necessarily have a high
risk, so should be avoided.
What do you know about Risk?
14. A high risk activity by
definition is one that is likely to
lead to an accident.
What do you know about Risk?
15. driving a car has many hazards,
but a generally low likelihood of an
accident. This produces an
acceptably low risk.
What do you know about Risk?
16. A Risk Assessment is an
analysis of risk that must be
made before any hazardous
activity is undertaken by school
staff or pupils.
What do you know about Risk?
17. Teachers must officially record
and sign every Risk Assessment
they make.'
What do you know about Risk?
18. Risk Assessment is the.
Employer's responsibility.
What do you know about Risk?
19. Risk Assessment may require a
teacher to modify or abandon
an activity they had planned.
What do you know about Risk?
20. As part of the National
Curriculum all pupils have to
learn to make Risk
Assessments.
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How do we go about assessing and managing risks?
First we need to know what are hazards and what is the potential harm they
might cause.
We need to know how likely an accident is.
Then we can put them together to get the risks involved.
Later we will see a way of managing these risks to make them as low as
possible.
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HAZARDS ARE AGENTS OF POTENTIAL HARM: some examples.
Mains electricity/boiling water
Climbing Frame/tarmac
surfaces
Bleach (corrosive, toxic)
Scissors
Consider the severity of harm and
likelihood of an accident
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Electric shock = high-medium
severity
Damaged cable = highly likely
Fall on hard surface = high severity
Unsupervised = medium likelihood
Swallowing = high-medium severity
Childproof cap = low likelihood
Stabbed hand = low-medium severity .
Supervised y5 class = low likelihood
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Risk is the name we give to the extent of any harm
(or undesirable effect) which would arise when taken
together with the likelihood of the threat actually
happening.
Risk = degree of severity x likelihood
So for the examples examined previously and shown
here.
Low-medium severity x low likelihood = low risk
High-medium severity x low likelihood =
medium risk
High-medium severity x highly likely = high
risk
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Analogy for risk
Consider the effect/severity and the likelihood
First, try the National Lottery
Although the odds are very low
(likelihood)
the prize could be enormous
(effect/ severity)
It’s well worth investing one pound
Shall we try the Local Raffle?
The prize isn’t as large
as the lottery(effect/severity) but the
chances of winning are much better
(likelihood)
Therefore I’ll buy a one pound ticket
So how do we manage the risk to reduce it to as
low as possible?
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Risk perception
Risk assessment
High/medium x highly = high
Severity
likely
risk
Playground
High severity x medium = high
likelihood risk
High /
medium
severity
x
low/medium x
severity
low
likelihood
low
=
likelihood
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= medium
risk
low
risk
Risk management
good maintenance
soft surface
secure storage
/handling
round ended scissors
13
Our strategy for training in risk management
Benefits
1. Why do I want to do it?
What are the benefits?
Hazards
2. What are the hazards?
Effects
3. What are the likely effects of
Those hazards?
Degree of severity
4. How serious would each of
Those effects be?
Likelihood
5. How likely is it that each effect
Will happen?
Assessment of risk
6. How risky does that make it?
(high risk, medium, or low risk?
Management of risk
7. Can I reduce the risk? If so,
How? What steps (if any) can I
Take to help the benefits outweigh
The risk by eliminating, reducing
Or controlling the hazards?
Balanced decision
8. Should I take the remaining
Risk, or is it not worth it?
So here are all the steps you should take in assessing risks.
This is easy to remember by using the mnemonic of what this strategy is trying to
avoid – BEDLAM!
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Application of the risk assessment management training
Example: riding a bicycle down a hill.
Wouldn’t it be fun to ride down that hill
Benefits
But it looks steep
Hazards
I wouldn’t like to fall off
Effects
I could break my arm or crack my skull
Degree of
severity
I’m more likely to fall off on the hill
than on the path
It would be more risky on the hill
Likelihood
Assessment of risk
My bike and brakes are OK.
I’m wearing my pads.
I’ll watch others go down first
Management of risk
I’m happy to have a go now
I’ve checked it out
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Balanced decision
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Risk management in a science lesson
Knock over a meths burner
Meths burner
Medium/ x very = high
High
likely risk
Severity
substitute a
night light
Drop and break a mercury thermometer
Mercury
Medium x very
Low
likely
= medium
risk
substitute spirit
or digital
thermometer
Collecting mini-beasts
Minibeasts
medium x low
=
low
likelihood
low
risk
wash hands
So all activities can be carried out with a lowered residual
risk providing we introduce the changes given above.
You should make sure your science activities for school are
changed so that they are low risk.
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An example to show how the strategy produces a safer outcome where the risk so
obviously outweighs any benefits that certain actions become untenable.
I am running late! I should be at the next
checkpoint by 12.30. I could get to that field
more quickly if I cross the railway lines here
Benefits
But trains come along here. It’s sometimes
hard to hear trains and there’s a bend up ahead
Hazards
I might not get our of the way in time and be
hit by a train
Effects
I’d be killed… My family would be devastated
Degree
of Severity
A train could come along at any time
Likelihood
The two tracks together look wider I
than thought that gravel is hard to walk
across.
This fence is here because railway and
lines are dangerous places…and there
is that bend up ahead…
Assessment of
risk
There must be a safe crossing or bridge
further on. I’ll walk on a bit
Management of
risk
It’s not worth the risk; I would rather lose
a few points being late
Balanced
decision
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The further along the risk management process the more demanding it gets
intellectually. There is a parallel between the increasing complexity of the
risk management strategy and the conceptual development of the child
Conceptual development of
the child
Understanding the actions
have consequences and
consequences vary, e.g.
safe/unsafe.
Developing child
Developing ability to
recognise hazards and the
range of their effects. E.g.
serious effect/likely.
Complexity of the risk
management strategy
Why do I want to do it.
Perception of hazards.
Consideration of likely
effects.
Evaluation of severity of
hazard realization.
Increasing awareness of
personal influence upon
consequences and the
riskiness of the situations.
Assessment of risk.
Developing ability to see the
options and to propose ability
to see the options and propose
a risk management approach
which covers elimination and
reduction as well as a range of
controls.
Balance risk against benefit
and decide whether to
proceed with residual risk.
Consider how to manage
risk(s)
Developing sophistication in
balancing the benefits of
actions against risks.
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TASK
Choose a science activity from a published scheme/workcard or for your own 5
min. session plan. Write a Risk Assessment for the activity. Use the Risk
Assessment proforma on the science website. Complete full references to
safety documents.
Check the Health & Safety section of the Programmes of Study for KS1 & 2 in
Science in the National Curriculum.
Use the guidelines given in the background reading. You should consult also
safety regulations given in: ASE (2001) and Hampshire County Council (1996).
Copies of these are kept in a collection of safety texts beside the counter in
the Schools Resources Centre. There are copies in the Primary Science rooms
also – please see the technicians to access these. Multiple copies of ASE (2001)
Be Safe! are shelved in the main library at 375.5.
Bibliography
ASE (2011) Be Safe! health and safety in school science and technology for
teachers of 3-12 year-olds. 4th Edition. Hatfield: Association for Science
Education.
HCC (1996) Safety & Science. Winchester: Hampshire County Council.
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